Overview
Debug logs are useful when troubleshooting Z-Wave devices, communication issues, failed commands, missing reports, or unexpected device behavior.
In most cases, for Z-Wave device troubleshooting, the important logs are the Driver Logs. These logs show communication between the Z-Wave controller and the Z-Wave devices.
Application logs can also be enabled, but they are mainly used for troubleshooting the Z-Wave JS UI interface, not the Z-Wave devices.
1. Enable Driver Logs for Z-Wave troubleshooting
Use this option when the issue is related to:
Device inclusion or exclusion
Device interview
Missing reports
Commands not working
Routing problems
Z-Wave communication errors
Device not reacting correctly
Battery device wake-up issues
Sensor or relay events not shown correctly
Steps
Open Z-Wave JS UI.
Go to Settings.
Open the Z-Wave section.
Find the logging settings.
Set Log Level to Debug.
Turn Log enabled ON.
Turn Log to file ON.
Click Save.
This enables detailed Z-Wave driver logging and saves the logs to a file.
2. Optional: Enable Application Logs for UI troubleshooting
Application logs are normally not required for device troubleshooting.
Use them only if the problem is related to the Z-Wave JS UI interface itself, for example:
Z-Wave JS UI page not loading correctly
Buttons not working in the interface
Settings page errors
UI crashes or freezes
Add-on interface problems
Steps
Open Z-Wave JS UI.
Go to Settings.
Open the General section.
Set Log Level to Silly for full detail.
Turn Log enabled ON.
Turn Log to file ON if you need to save these logs.
Click Save.
Note: For normal device troubleshooting, Driver Logs in the Z-Wave section are usually enough.
3. Restart the Z-Wave JS UI add-on
After enabling logging, restart the add-on.
Steps
Open Home Assistant.
Go to Settings.
Open Add-ons.
Select Z-Wave JS UI.
Click Restart.
After restart, wait 1–2 minutes for the Z-Wave network to stabilize.
This helps make sure the log captures the issue clearly and not only startup traffic.
4. Reproduce the issue
After the add-on has restarted and the network is stable, reproduce the problem.
Examples:
Operate the wall switch
Turn the relay ON or OFF
Trigger the sensor
Open or close the door/window sensor
Wake up the battery device
Start inclusion or exclusion
Send the command that fails
Wait for the report that is missing
After the issue happens, wait about 1 minute before downloading the logs.
This gives the system enough time to write all related events to the log file.
5. Export the logs from Z-Wave JS UI
To download the generated log file:
Open Z-Wave JS UI.
Go to Settings.
Open Logs.
Download the generated log file.
The log file is usually named similar to:
zwavejs_*.log
Send this file to us for analysis.
Recommended logging flow
For best troubleshooting results, follow this order:
Enable Driver Logs.
Set Driver Log Level to Debug.
Enable Log to file.
Save the settings.
Restart the Z-Wave JS UI add-on.
Wait 1–2 minutes.
Reproduce the issue.
Wait another 1 minute.
Download the log file from Settings > Logs.
Send the log file to support.
Important notes
Do not leave debug logging enabled for a long time.
Debug logs can become large.
After troubleshooting, set the log level back to a normal level.
Driver Logs are used for Z-Wave device and network issues.
Application Logs are mainly used for Z-Wave JS UI interface issues.
Always reproduce the issue after debug logging is enabled.
Summary
To troubleshoot Z-Wave device issues, enable Driver Logs in the Z-Wave section of Z-Wave JS UI.
Set the log level to Debug, enable Log enabled, enable Log to file, restart the add-on, reproduce the issue, and download the log file from Settings > Logs.
For UI-related issues, Application Logs in the General section can also be enabled, but they are usually not required for device troubleshooting.